They rescued tigers and got to know the borderlands

The Tigerradtour, or Tiger Cycle Rally, is an annual cycle ride in support of the zoo in Eberswalde, Germany. The event has been held since 2005. The zoo, situated in the heart of the Nonnenfließ/Schwärzetal nature reserve, is also popular with Polish tourists. The attraction, situated around 100 km from Szczecin, is less than an hour’s drive from the capital of Western Pomerania. Several dozen daredevils decided to cover this distance by bike!

This year marked the 20th anniversary edition of the cycle rally, but for the first time in its history, the route started in Szczecin. This fact did not go unnoticed by the team at the Marshal’s Office in Szczecin, one of whose ongoing projects is the development and promotion of cycling routes in West Pomerania. As these routes cross the Polish-German border in many places, the organisation of cross-border cycle rallies is becoming increasingly common. On the evening before the planned start of the ride, the participants were invited to the Marshal’s Office, where presentations were given on West Pomeranian cycle routes, including the Berlin–Szczecin–Kołobrzeg loop, which is being developed as part of a Polish-German partnership. Today, the route is largely passable on both sides of the border, so this was a good opportunity to invite cyclists from Germany to explore the routes on the Polish side, as well as to make them aware that during their journey to Eberswalde they will also be using the future cycle route!

During the meeting in Szczecin, participants learnt, amongst other things, that the first edition of the Tigerradtour set off from Rostock. At that time, the route covered 320 kilometres and 30,000 euros in donations were raised. Thanks to the help of friends, numerous attractions have already been created on the zoo’s grounds, such as children’s play areas and an enclosure for endangered Siberian tigers,” explained Ingolf Fix, one of the event’s organisers.

This year’s ride was also exceptional because it took place on one of the hottest days of the year so far, when the temperature reached almost 40 degrees! However, the cyclists and organisers were prepared for this. Cycling in such conditions required not only excellent fitness, but also sensible pacing, proper hydration and mutual support. The organisers had even prepared a special contingency plan for high temperatures. The meeting at the Marshal’s Office was also an opportunity to discuss organisational matters and participant safety before the ride began.

And the route was challenging, as two options had been prepared: 100 km and 250 km! It was this longer section that began in Szczecin, from where the cyclists set off at 5 am! For the lion’s share of the journey, they cycled along the northern branch of the future Berlin–Szczecin–Kołobrzeg cycle route, on the section between Szczecin and the German capital. At present, there are no signs on the signposts here indicating the planned tourist route, but this will change in the coming years. The Polish side is building the missing sections on its side (currently near Golczewo), whilst the German side is renovating the section along the Oder (near the border town of Gartz). The joint exchange of experiences and the promotion of the routes on both sides of the border are already bearing fruit. Representatives of the Szczecin Cycling Club ‘Gryfus’ set off on a trip to Eberswalde.

– This is a much-anticipated route that will allow visitors to discover not only Berlin, Szczecin and Kołobrzeg, but also the region’s lesser-known corners. We are delighted to be working with our German partners, as demonstrated by the construction of the cycle path on the Siekierki–Neurüdnitz bridge – notes Anna Bańkowska, Deputy Marshal of the province.

This article is co-financed by the European Union under the project entitled ‘Berlin–Szczecin–Kołobrzeg Cycle Route’, implemented as part of the Interreg VIA Mecklenburg-Vorpommern/Brandenburg/Poland Cooperation Programme 2021–2027.